Say goodbye to one diet: In this JoCo city, an experiment got mixed reviews

Late last fall, Shawnee put the downtown stretch of Johnson Drive on a “road diet,” halving the number of through traffic lanes, creating a dedicated turn lane in the middle and adding 19 parking spots.

It was an experiment that officials hoped would reduce traffic speeds, improve safety for pedestrians and others, increase street parking and promote downtown as a destination.

But Johnson Drive, which is to be repaved starting in late May, will be going off its diet and returning to two through lanes in each direction.

Why? The change got mixed reviews, with many motorists opposing the change. And the experiment didn’t produce dramatic results.

The pilot project affected the area between Flint and Goddard streets, where the speed limit is 30 miles an hour. Before the experiment, 85% of drivers were traveling at 39 miles an hour or less. After the road was reconfigured, 85% were going 35 miles an hour less.

Little change was seen with most other measurements.

Now the city will explore other ways of enhancing parking and safety, especially for pedestrians. On March 28, when the City Council discussed the matter, two business leaders urged the city to address the parking shortage.

Election office issues alert

If individuals come to your door asking for information on voter registration, they are not from the Johnson County Election Office, which put out an alert about the practice.

“Any information that you may choose to provide to these individuals or groups is not being requested by the Johnson County Election Office,” the news release said. “Also, be aware that any statements or purported registration information from these individuals have not been verified by the Johnson County Election Office.”

Final address for Ed Eilert

Johnson County Commission Chairman Ed Eilert has delivered his last State of the County Address.

The longtime elected official — Eilert also served six four-year terms as mayor of Overland Park after a four-year stint on the City Council — is not seeking re-election this year.

As of April 4, four people had filed to replace him: County Commissioners Charlotte O’Hara and Shirley Allenbrand, Roeland Park Mayor Mike Kelly and former Kansas insurance commissioner Ken Selzer.

Eilert served for years as a county commissioner before beginning his first term as chairman in 2011. He gave his final address on March 29.

State math champion

Mahi Kohli, a seventh-grader at California Trail Middle School in Olathe, took first place at the MATHCOUNTS Kansas State Championship, held this spring in Topeka.

In early May, Kohli will join more than 200 other “mathletes” at the national competition.

And for the first time, California Trail placed first in the overall team competition. Besides Kohli, the team included eighth-graders Bisandu Buluwana, Garrett Li and Arielle Li.

Parade of Homes starts April 23

The Spring Parade of Homes begins on April 23, and roughly half of the 230-plus single-family dwellings are in Johnson County.

Organized by the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City, the parade showcases new homes ranging in price from $300,000 to more than $1.7 million, including 57 where maintenance is provided. The most expensive, at $1.769 million, is at 3309 W. 150th Terrace in Leawood. It’s among 130 homes with Johnson County addresses.

The homes will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. through May 8, and admission is free. Parade guides can be picked up for free at the Home Builders Association, Interstate 435 and Holmes Road, and at all Parade homes during the event. A mobile app also is available.

In-demand amenities, the association says, include fireplaces and fire pits, mudrooms with drop-off areas for packages and grocery-store deliveries, homework space and a lawn or terrace for outdoor movies. Many buyers want a spacious home, as well as large windows and doors to bring the outdoors inside.

Learn more at KCParadeofHomes.com.

What’s next for Kansas transportation?

The Kansas Department of Transportation will host a Kansas City area gathering and a virtual meeting this month to share information about the federal infrastructure law and preview some of the spending that’s being considered in Kansas.

Those attending can provide their feedback on priorities. Included in the federal law is new funding for highways, bridges, transit and infrastructure for charging electric vehicles.

The content is the same for both meetings:

▪ 9 to 11 a.m. April 13 at Kansas City, Kansas, Community College.

▪ 9 to 11 a.m. virtually on April 27.

The sessions are free, but registration is required at surveymonkey.com/r/KDOTBIL. Other were scheduled in Hays and Wichita.

Spring clean-up for Mission

Mission has scheduled its first citywide spring clean-up from 9 to 11 a.m. on April 23.

Individuals, groups and businesses are urged to participate in the effort, held in conjunction with Earth Day and as part of the regional SevenDays: Make A Ripple observance that focuses on kindness and service.

Volunteers will meet at Beverly Park, 5935 Beverly Ave., and disperse to pick up trash, trim vegetation and spruce up major street corridors and public spaces and major street corridors.

Register at missionks.org through the news announcement about the event, which was posted on March 8.

This story was originally published April 7, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Say goodbye to one diet: In this JoCo city, an experiment got mixed reviews."